About every five minutes or so, one of my Republican friends (most of
whom support Big Government Conservative Wars but haven't served
themselves) forwards me that stupid email lie about how Starbucks hates
the troops, doesn't support the war and won't give coffee to troops
because they are a bunch of old commie pinko haters.

Bullshit. Stop sending this propaganda around. That's an urban legend
originated by an individual who ought to have known better, being an
NCO like me:

Starbucks as a corporation does not give coffee to the Marine Corps as
they are a government organization. This is not an unusual corporate
policy, and if Sgt Wright had investigated the matter as he claims in
his initial email, he'd have known that.

Starbucks as a corporation (like most corporations) only donates to
non-profits, but their employees are encouraged to donate to the troops
themselves. Starbucks passes on all requests for donations from troops
on to their employees who often donate their weekly bags of coffee to
troops in Iraq. A lot of coffee has been donated to troops in Iraq by
Starbucks employees - something Sgt Wright, had he been truthful would
have disclosed.

As a fellow Marine Corps Sergeant and Gulf War veteran, I am disgusted
and ashamed that Sgt Wright chose to spread this lie far and wide, but
did not spend as much time and energy in circulating his retraction. I
am further disgusted at Sgt Wright's apparent embrace of socialist
self-entitlement as a government employee. Starbucks does not owe Sgt
Wright free coffee for putting on a uniform. Starbucks does not owe me
free coffee for putting on a uniform.

Sgt Wright has embarrassed the Corps with this b.s. and does not speak for me as a Marine Corps and Gulf War veteran.